The Hebrew that is translated as “book of the annals” in English is translated in Newari as “history book” (source: Newari Back Translation).
complete verse (1 Kings 16:20)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Kings 16:20:
- Kupsabiny: “The works of Zimri and the way he used to plot were written down in the book which is about the life of Israelite kings.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
- Newari: “All the things that happened while Zimri was king and the matter of his rebellion have been written in the book of the history of the kings of Israel.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
- Hiligaynon: “The other story about the reign of Zimri, and about his rebellion, were-written in the Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
- English: “All the other things that Zimri did, and the record of how he rebelled against King Elah, are written in the scroll called ‘The History of the Kings of Israel’.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
king
Some languages do not have a concept of kingship and therefore no immediate equivalent for the Greek, Hebrew, Ge’ez, Aramaic, and Latin that is translated as “king” in English. Here are some (back-) translations:
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- Piro: “a great one”
- Highland Totonac: “the big boss”
- Huichol: “the one who commanded” (source for this and above: Bratcher / Nida)
- Ekari: “the one who holds the country” (source: Reiling / Swellengrebel)
- Una: weik sienyi: “big headman” (source: Kroneman 2004, p. 407)
- Pass Valley Yali: “Big Man” (source: Daud Soesilo)
- Ninia Yali: “big brother with the uplifted name” (source: Daud Soesilio in Noss 2007, p. 175)
- Nyamwezi: mutemi: generic word for ruler, by specifying the city or nation it becomes clear what kind of ruler (source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
- Ghomála’: Fo (“The word Fo refers to the paramount ruler in the kingdoms of West Cameroon. He holds administrative, political, and religious power over his own people, who are divided into two categories: princes (descendants of royalty) and servants (everyone else).” (Source: Michel Kenmogne in Theologizing in Context: An Example from the Study of a Ghomala’ Christian Hymn))
Faye Edgerton retells how the term in Navajo (Dinė) was determined:
“[This term was] easily expressed in the language of Biblical culture, which had kings and noblemen with their brilliant trappings and their position of honor and praise. But leadership among the Navajos is not accompanied by any such titles or distinctions of dress. Those most respected, especially in earlier days, were their headmen, who were the leaders in raids, and the shaman, who was able to serve the people by appealing for them to the gods, or by exorcising evil spirits. Neither of these made any outward show. Neither held his position by political intrigue or heredity. If the headman failed consistently in raids, he was superceded by a better warrior. If the shaman failed many times in his healing ceremonies, it was considered that he was making mistakes in the chants, or had lost favor with the gods, and another was sought. The term Navajos use for headman is derived from a verb meaning ‘to move the head from side to side as in making an oration.’ The headman must be a good orator, able to move the people to go to war, or to follow him in any important decision. This word is naat’áanii which now means ‘one who rules or bosses.’ It is employed now for a foreman or boss of any kind of labor, as well as for the chairman of the tribal council. So in order to show that the king is not just a common boss but the highest ruler, the word ‘aláahgo, which expresses the superlative degree, was put before naat’áanii, and so ‘aláahgo naat’áanii ‘anyone-more-than-being around-he-moves-his-head-the-one-who’ means ‘the highest ruler.’ Naat’áanii was used for governor as the context usually shows that the person was a ruler of a country or associated with kings.”
(Source: Faye Edgerton in The Bible Translator 1962, p. 25ff. )
See also king (Japanese honorifics).
Translation commentary on 1 Kings 16:20
Regarding the translation of this rhetorical question and the title of this book, see the comments on 1 Kgs 11.41 and 14.19.
The conspiracy which he made is literally “his conspiracy that he conspired” (so La Bible Pléiade). This refers to Zimri’s plot and assassination of King Elah (verses 9-10). This is the single event selected by the writer to characterize the reign of Zimri.
Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
SIL Translator’s Notes on 1 Kings 16:20
16:20a As for the rest of the acts of Zimri and the treason he committed,
The other things that happened while Zimri was king, and his conspiracy ⌊against King Elah,⌋
-or-
All the other things that Zimri did, including how he plotted ⌊to kill King Elah⌋,
16:20b are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?
are written in the book of the history/records of the kings of Israel.
-or-
are recorded in the book called History of the Kings of Israel.
16:20a-b (reordered)
You/One can read about Zimri’s coup and the other things that happened during his time as king. They are in the history/record book of the Israelite kings.
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